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Nina Compton Is Opening a New Restaurant

February 13, 2015, 10:46 AM ET

Nina Compton Is Opening a New Restaurant

The 'Top Chef' competitor dishes on why she's moving back to New Orleans.

By
Jocelyn Vena

After Nina Compton came in second place on Top Chef: New Orleans, the Fan Favorite from Season 11 decided that the Big Easy would be the perfect place for her to settle down. Now, she is dishing about leaving Miami behind to move to New Orleans and open her first restaurant.

"It's a little intimidating," she told Nola.com. "When I got the phone call to do a possible restaurant there, I had to think. I've always wanted to live in New Orleans."

Nina noted that the restaurant's details are still on the down low, but that it will fall in the gastropub genre with touches of Italian, French and Caribbean nods.

"It's a little hush, hush, but I can tell that the approach will be fun," she said. "It will reflect my personality."

Nina's decision to move to New Orleans was prompted by her turn on Top Chef. Prior to appearing on the show, she had never been there, but the city stuck with her and she is looking forward to the move.

"There is so much history," she said. "Every corner you take there is history. And I love the way the people love food."

Prior to her move to the storied city, Nina served as an ambassador to her native St. Lucia. She previously was the chef de cuisine at Scarpetta in Miami.

"People were throwing things at me, and I become overwhelmed," Compton added of leaving her job at Scarpetta. "And I wanted to enjoy that moment, and the only way to do that was to step back from the restaurant."